Re: Are classes a required component of MMOs?
Preface: We hates the “Trinity-Baggins”… we hates it FOREVER!

(Trinity-based class systems “force” co-dependent interaction which is an inherently unhealthy form of social interaction. It does NOT create teamwork – that is created by players despite the obstacle of the trinity-based class system, not because of it.)

*whew*

Having said that, classes are an important facet of MMOs because they provide “archetypes” (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/archetype) which are a necessary component of good story telling. The obvious example of a class system (sans trinity) would of course be GW2… although each class is diverse enough to fill multiple “roles” within a group, at any given moment, they each go about accomplishing this diversity in their own distinctive ways. Each class establishes it’s own archetype in terms of the “feel” of the class.

If you want the “full plate and packing steel” vibe, you roll up a warrior – you still have access to both melee and range, your own healing, the ability to handle attention from the mobs, some CC, and your own dps… but you’re doing all of that in ways that are distinctly “warrior-archetype.”

If you’d rather go with the dark and brooding master of arcane power – roll a necromancer. Melee, range, healing, CC, dps, etc… a fully complete, and self-sufficient character, just like the warrior, but with it’s own style, and fulfilling a completely different archetype.

So, “Yes” classes are important in MMOs. They serve as the starting point, the foundation, upon which our imaginations can build the persona, or “character” of our characters.

So, leaving aside the very real balance issues and other negatives associated with a classless system (which Dodge elborated on quite well) there are also very positive and important reasons for including the component of classes in ROLE PLAYING GAMES.

(p.s. Really enjoyed the show once again folks. Lively, intelligent discussion that inspires your own brooding on various topics… what’s not to like? Keep up the great work!)

Bryandt

Concerning Guild Wars, last I heard ArenaNet was still going to develop content for it, even after Guild Wars 2 has launched. It will be more in the vein of the Guild Wars Beyond content that they have been releasing every few months. Currently we’re waiting for Winds of Change Part 3 to be released, and from what I understand they may do some Elona Guild Wars Beyond content centered around Palawa Joko.

That was an interesting discussion this week about games needing classes. I wanted to add another reason in favor of a class-based character system: alts. With a class system, you can start an alt with an entirely new story, play style, play mechanic, and role. There is an allure to switching from say a Champion with its fervour pips and AoE madness over to say a Warden with gambits and lifetaps and such.

Without that system, it would be tricky to differentiate the story and the mechanic of the alts. For my champion/warden example, I don’t see how one character could have gambits and another could build and spend pips if there weren’t a clear difference to the classes from the very beginning.